Diospyros poncei

Botanical Description

Diospyros poncei is a tree growing around 9 metres tall[ 952 Title The Philippine Journal of Science. Section C. Botany. Publication Author Merrill. E.D. (Editor) Website http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/ Publisher Manila Bureau of Printing; Philippines Year 1915 ISBN Description A botanical journal, it contains lots of new descriptions of plants and various other article on the botany of the Philippines. It can be downloaded from the Internet. ]. The tree is harvested from the wild for its wood. This is one of 33 species named as being a suitable Hongmu (red wood) timber, used for producing high quality Chinese furniture following traditions from the Ming and Quing dynasty, which makes it a particularly valuable wood[ 1791 Title The Hongmu Challenge; A briefing for the 66th meeting of the CITES Standing Committee, January 2016 Publication Author Website http://www.eia-global.org Publisher Environmental Investigation Agency; London Year 2016 ISBN Description Lists the 33 species used in making Hungmu furniture and the degree of over-exploitation plus recommendations for protecting them. ]. Diospyros poncei is threatened by continuing forest fragmentation and forest cover reduction as well as degradation through anthropogenic disturbances like charcoal making, illegal logging and shifting cultivation. The population is severely fragmented with subpopulations split across islands. The plant is classified as 'Endangered' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2019)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].